Press Release

Irish Rail agrees to provide staff to help during any Greystones DART disruption. I found that during DART disruptions in Greystones no reliable information was provided as the station was often unmanned. The electronic station sign conflicted with the ‘Trains Live’ App and there was no announcement. This meant that passengers did not know to take the bus which stopped across the road. I wrote to the Chief Executive and after some reminders he has apologised and agreed to a protocol that if there is disruption they will send staff…

Greystones boardwalk construction advancing well Cllr Derek Mitchell welcomed the rapid construction of the Boardwalk in Greystones Harbour and the protection of the North Beach. The picture shows sections of the Boardwalk which have been lifted into place. On the North Beach 5,000 cu m of shingle was placed in August to compensate for erosion in previous years and rocks were placed to protect the very old town dump. This is being done by the developer as part of the Harbour contract.

Cllr Derek Mitchell (FG) went to a seminar on Dublin bus route redesign which was interesting but theoretical. Detailed proposals will be out in the Autumn which could be a radical redesign across the entire Dublin Bus network ‘I spotted a basic mistake on the  Greystones DART frequency and got it corrected. I had a list of my proposals and some ones collected in a survey which I sent in afterwards’. These included:   ·        Busses on M50 to, Cherrywood, Sandyford, Luas, Dundrum, Citwest, Blanchardstown, Airport. To get people out of cars…

A section of the front wall of the La Touche Hotel Greystones has collapsed in the March storms. Cllr Derek Mitchell has again called for a Derelict Site Notice to be applied which means the developer will be charged a 3% tax on the site value. ‘this got the site tidied up before. Also I now want it investigated under the Dangerous buildings legislation as it looks unsafe’. The developer has planning permission for 27 houses on the site, including 5 in the old shell but he has done nothing.

The historic building is an eyesore and has been in terrible condition for a decade at least. Also young people have been breaking in to the building which is dangerous. Earlier this year the owner got permission to build 27 houses, 5 of which are to be in the restored old structure, on this fine site. However nothing has happened. I have asked the Council to apply the 3% Derelict Site Tax. Officials have agreed to check the site and apply the Tax if possible in order to encourage progress…

Ray Coyne, Chief Executive of Dublin Bus met Minister Andrew Doyle, Cllr. Derek Mitchell and Liz Dillon to discuss Greystones busses. We asked them to run more 84x during the day and to provide more bus transport with schoolfares from Charlesland to Templecarrick School which is rapidly expanding. Many children use the 6 express busses before 8 am to get to the school but must pay the higher fare on this express bus. Dublin Bus will see whether they can provide more 184 busses at this time, as this has…

A while ago Wicklow Council requested design changes to the plan to develop 26 houses and a small amount of commercial space on the site. The developer lodged modifications including, reductions in height, in terraces and in plot widths, increasing garden lengths and more screening. As before the old building is being turned into 5 terraced houses, retaining the facades as is required as part of the Architectural Conservation Area. The Council has now asked for further, but minor, changes. These include widening Marine Road to 5.5m, providing a footpath…

Fine Gael Councillor Derek Mitchell welcomed news that the Government intends to further reduce the USC rate in the October Budget.   An Taoiseach confirmed that following the income tax and USC cuts introduced earlier this year, the Government will cut the 7% rate of USC to reduce the marginal tax rate on all those earning less than €70,000 per year to below 50%.   “AnTaoiseach also said that despite a stronger than expected performance in tax receipts and public finances, the Government will not be gong back to the “when we have…